What is calisthenics
The word "calisthenics" comes from the combination of the Greek words kallos - "beauty" and sthenos - "strength".
Calisthenics is a bodyweight training system that helps you gain a beautiful and harmoniously developed body, increase strength and aerobic endurance.
Athletes involved in calisthenics do not use free weights and exercise machines; they train on horizontal bars, parallel bars and Swedish walls - on sports equipment that can easily be found on the street. Therefore, calisthenics is also called street workout.
In fact, calisthenics is the oldest form of training. It became widespread with the advent of the public Internet, when it became possible to receive instructions online and find out the details of the training process.
Before and after training
Powerlifting cannot be rushed, so you must approach the activity responsibly and thoroughly.
- Always start with a warm-up. Since powerlifting involves a large axial load on the spine, you should start with an impact load - running or fast walking. Then be sure to stretch your back and lower back, for example, by performing yoga warm-up movements or the “boat”. This is very important, since an insufficiently warmed body and an unprepared spine may not withstand work with heavy weights.
- The second important nuance is rest between approaches. Since powerlifting involves working almost to the limit of your capabilities, you can and should rest. If in bodybuilding the average rest lasts about two minutes, in triathlon it increases to five or more. In general, an athlete should rest as much as they need to recover their strength. You will often see a powerlifter in the gym performing three exercises within an hour and a half - this is completely normal.
- When training according to a plan that focuses on the base with heavy weights, it is recommended to enlist the support of a partner. This is especially important for beginners, because they cannot always correctly calculate their strength and assess their level of training.
- The squat and deadlift technique in powerlifting is somewhat different from what bodybuilders do. It can take a long time to describe the nuances, so the best solution would be to consult with a professional triathlete or work with a coach. However, for beginners the weight is light at first, so you can perform movements using the classical technique. As the load increases, each person begins to feel their body better and grasp the necessary nuances in performance.
- Cooling down is optional, but is one of the useful tools in shaping an athletic body. Nothing bad will happen if you don’t do it, but with a cool-down, the muscles recover faster. Everyone decides for themselves whether they need to stretch after a strength session, but experienced athletes still recommend spending an extra 20 minutes and doing a cool-down - the body will be grateful.
- An athletic belt and elastic knee braces when working with heavy weights are not a whim, but very useful additional equipment. Moreover, it is recommended to use a belt and knee bandages from the first steps in powerlifting. In addition to fixing the joints and lower back in the desired position, the protection reduces the risk of injury.
And lastly, there is no need to chase weights on the barbell; progress should occur smoothly and gradually. Regular exercise will definitely bring results.
https://youtu.be/HO84ppl4fC8
Calisthenics as a workout for the whole body
An exercise with your own body weight cannot be performed in isolation - even if you lift yourself with your arms, the rest of your body is also under tension. This is especially true for complex movements like one-arm pull-ups or the horizontal exercise (“board”, planche).
Press
Any movement from the calisthenics involves the abdominal muscles. In addition, there are special exercises for working these muscles, for example, lifting the legs to the horizontal bar or the “windshield wipers” exercise. These exercises also work the serratus anterior muscles, which, along with the rectus abdominis, define the appearance of your abs.
Hands
There are many types of pull-ups in calisthenics that can pump up the muscles of the arms and back better than exercises with weights: pull-ups to the chin and to the chest, with a narrow or wide grip, on a thick bar and other objects that you can grab onto, slow pull-ups, L-pull-ups , one-arm pull-ups. There is always a more difficult option that will provide more stress on the biceps and back muscles.
For the triceps and chest in calisthenics there are many types of push-ups on the floor, as well as on parallel bars and rings. By combining pull-ups and push-ups in one workout, you evenly pump up your entire upper body.
Legs
Most often, criticism of calisthenics concerns the development of the legs, since they do not participate in spectacular exercises on the horizontal bar. However, it is quite possible to pump up your legs with bodyweight exercises.
By using a full range of motion (squatting until your thighs touch your shins), high repetitions, and more complex forms like the pistol squat, you can increase the load on your legs and build strength.
Plan to Increase Bench Press
One of the most problematic disciplines in powerlifting is the bench press. This is due to the small size of the pectoral muscles and the relatively small initial burden. Deadlifts and squats use approximately the same muscles, so performance in these disciplines increases much faster. If you need to increase your bench press results in a short time, the following training plan is recommended. This program is designed for 2 months, the emphasis is on the development of the chest, triceps and biceps, the lower part of the body is lightly loaded. The plan is not suitable for beginners; it is designed for intermediate and advanced levels of training.
Monday Tuesday):
- Ab crunches;
- bench press;
- wide grip push-ups;
- butterfly pinch;
- pull-ups;
- standing biceps curls;
- extension and flexion of the wrists while sitting with weights.
The number of repetitions for all exercises is 3x10 times. In this program, the bench press is always performed 5x5, the weight is 80% of the maximum.
Second lesson (Wednesday or Thursday):
- raising your legs on a bench;
- seated press;
- swings with weights to the sides;
- broach with a bar;
- pull-ups;
- Bent-over dumbbell row;
- pulling the block to the chest.
Do everything again 3x10.
Third lesson:
- hyperextension;
- deadlift (80% of 1RM);
- bench press (close grip);
- dips;
- French bench press;
- squat (60% weight).
The number of repetitions of all movements except deadlifts and squats is 3x10. The triathlon base is performed 5x5.
An increase in strength when performing bench presses and growth of the pectoral muscles are noticeable already in the fourth week of such training.
Main exercises and elements
- Pull-ups - work the forearm, biceps, upper back muscles, rear deltoid muscles.
- Push ups - triceps, pectoral, anterior and middle deltoid muscles swing.
- Crunches - work the core muscles, especially the abdominal muscles.
- Plank — the core muscles are also worked, but with an emphasis on the lower back.
- Squats - the gluteal muscles and quadriceps sway.
Calisthenics includes performing various exercises on outdoor sports grounds, namely on the following apparatus: crossbar, parallel bars, wall bars, monkey bars and others, or without using them at all, that is, on the ground.
The exercises are quite simple. Crossbars and beams can now be found in almost every yard. The calisthenics program for beginners pleasantly surprises with its accessibility. Below is a video that will help you get started today!
Depending on your preferences, your workouts may look different. At the stadium this means running, exercises on the horizontal bar and uneven bars. At home, you can do squats, push-ups, and exercise on the wall bars, with an expander.
Adviсe
Choose a working weight with which you can confidently perform all 8 sets of 8 repetitions. You'll only have 30 seconds to rest between sets, so don't go too heavy.
Try not to turn sets into rest-pause training. However, you shouldn’t rush to the other extreme either - don’t set the “weight of the pen” with which you will finish each of the eight approaches in one breath. Choose a normal load with which you will reach failure on the seventh or eighth repetition.
The breaks in this protocol are short, and for good reason. Don't lose efficiency by fiddling with your phone, choosing music, or chatting with friends. You have 30 seconds to rest. Dot.
Choose a normal load with which you will reach failure on the seventh or eighth rep.
It is extremely important to accurately measure the time for rest. If you have an iPhone, I recommend downloading and installing the Seconds Pro app.
If you've hit a wall with your standard routine, this Vince Gironda-style full-body protocol will give your muscles a jolt. It may take some time to get used to the frequency and style of the training, but that's the trick! An effective program must be a serious challenge. After all, by training lightly, you won't gain weight. You only grow when you push yourself out of your comfort zone into unknown territory.
Stick with this program for 5-6 weeks and I guarantee you will be shocked by the results!
Chris Heria training program for beginners
If you ask now who is the most famous calisthenics athlete in the world, then, without a doubt, 99% will answer that it is Chris Heria. And, indeed, just a few years after his departure from the Barstarzz team, this talented, charismatic athlete was able to gain enormous popularity among beginning calisthenikers around the world, collecting over 2 000 000
subscribers on your YouTube channel!
The secret of his success is simple - show a sculpted body, demonstrate powerful elements and promise that this can be learned in just a couple of months of training. But since our readers are interested in this guy’s personality, we decided to collect the training schemes he offers in one article.
Abs workout for beginners
We perform all exercises in the following manner: we do the exercise for 45 seconds, rest for 15 seconds and then move on to the next exercise from the list.
1. Running with high knees 2. Russian crunches 3. Lying leg raises (without putting them on the floor!) 4. Reverse crunches with pelvic lift 5. Vertical scissors 6. Touching your knees to your elbows in a plank (alternately) 7. Crunches with raised knees 8. Seated fold 9. Jumping with arms swinging overhead
5 minute ab workout at home
We perform all exercises in the following manner: 10 exercises, each of them is done for 30 seconds, there is no rest between exercises. You need to do 4 such rounds, resting between rounds for 2 minutes.
1. Vertical scissors 2. Russian twists 3. Lying leg raises 4. Crunches 5. Jumping with arms swinging overhead 6. Running in place with high knees 7. Plank twists until you touch the floor 8. Lateral plank raises 9. Rock climber 10. Recumbent bike
Calisthenics training for beginners
1. Maximum hold of the corner on the uneven bars (dropset with the transition to one straight leg, two bent legs) + Lifting the legs into the corner while supporting the bars to the maximum (first straight, then bent) 2. Maximum number of pull-ups (dropset with the transition to simpler ones) options, for example for negative repetitions) + the maximum number of Australian pull-ups 3. The maximum number of push-ups on the parallel bars (drop set with the transition to negative repetitions) + the maximum number of reverse push-ups from the bench (or cabinet) 4. The maximum number of push-ups from the floor (drop set with the transition to push-ups from the knees) 5. The maximum number of squats on one leg (drop set with the transition to squats on one with support). 6. The maximum number of jumps from a squat (drop set with the transition to regular squats
Leg training at home
1. 30 squats 2. 15 Bulgarian squats (one leg at a time) 3. 1 minute walking lunges 4. 1 minute crab walk 5. 6 forward-back lunges (each leg) 6. 1 minute long jumps
You need to perform 4 such circles with a rest of 3 minutes between circles.
Chest and Triceps training on outdoor horizontal bars
1. MAX Dips 2. 6 meters Explosive Forward Pushups 3. MAX Floor Pushups 4. MAX Explosive Knee Pushups 5. 12 Bar Pushups 6. 12 Triceps Extensions 7. MAX Reverse Bench Pushups 8. MAX Military push-ups 9. 10 House push-ups 10. 6 meters Dragon push-ups with forward movement
Perform 4 of these circuits, resting 3 minutes between circuits.
Leg workout without iron
1. 6 meters Long Jumps 2. 25 Squats 3. 12 Bulgarian Split Squats (each leg) 4. 20 Split Squats 5. 8 Supported Single Leg Squats (each leg) 6. 12 Side Lunges (each side ) 7. 6 meters Crab walk 8. 40 seconds Jumping with arms swinging overhead 9. 15 Calf raises (each leg)
Killer shoulder workout at home
1. Wall walk - 5 full walks down and back 2. Palm raises - 10 times on each arm 3. Handstand push-ups - 10 times 4. Handstand push-ups against a wall - 10 times 5. Push-ups house with legs on a hill - 10 times 6. Holding a handstand without support - MAX time
Killer Ab Workout for Beginners
We perform all exercises in the following manner: we do the exercise for 45 seconds, rest for 15 seconds and then move on to the next exercise from the list.
1. Book 2. Cross crunches 3. Body raises 4. Boat 5. Russian crunches 6. Vertical scissors 7. Leg raises 8. Body raises with legs raised 9. Butterfly 10. Opening/Tuck 11. Half-sitting vertical scissors 12. Dynamic plank
Killer chest workout at home
1. 20 push-ups with clap 2. 20 push-ups with feet on a chair 3. 10 archer push-ups (10 for each hand we mean) 4. MAX SUPERSET diamond push-ups + regular push-ups (alternate each repetition) 5. 10 push-ups with wide stance of the arms 6. MAX push-ups from the floor (regular)
2) Delta's back
1. Pull a vertical block to the chest 4*6-10 or pull-up on the bar.
2. Pull the T-bar in an incline 4*6-10
3. Pull dumbbells with one hand 2-3*6-10
4. We press the barbell while standing 2*15 is a warm-up + 3*6-10 are working
5. We do standing dumbbell swings to the sides. 1*20 + 3*6-10
6. Swing dumbbells in front of you 3*6-10
7. Bent-over dumbbell swings 3*6-10
Pumping and steroids will not make you strong!
Unlike those who avoid heavy training with basic exercises. These include: squats, deadlifts, presses, etc. Unlike such people, you must build muscles using the old method. Athletes such as John Grimek, Georg Hackenschmidt, George Eiferman, Farbotnik, Sigmund Klein, Louis Uni and others followed this path to their progress. Many modern bodybuilders are not able to train as intensely and powerfully as the old school athletes. They think it is enough to do simple isolated exercises, creating a pump in the muscles (pumping), and the drugs will do the rest for them. As a result, they pay for the thoughtless use of doping and illiterate training with their health and life.
